Trails Quilt Block Pattern

The trails quilt block pattern is also known as Bright Futures. I think that I can see the logic of trails given the way the squares of one colour form lines along the diagonals. It is classified as a four patch block and I have made it here as an 8″ square.

Cutting requirements for the trails quilt block pattern

2.1/2″ squares: four purple, four brown,

2.7/8″ squares: four peach, four white

Make half square triangle units

How to make the trails quilt block

Use the 2.7/8″ squares to make half square triangles. Place a peach and a white square with right sides together and mark a line along the diagonal. Sew a 1/4″ seam either side of the marked line and cut along the line. This will give you two half square triangle units for each pair of squares that you begin with.

Press the seam allowances towards the peach fabric and trim the corners where the triangle tips stick out. These are now 2.1/2″ squares.

Trails quilt block layout

Lay the squares out in four rows of four. The trails quilt block has a remarkably simple layout: all the brown squares go along one diagonal while all the purple squares lie along the other diagonal. The remaining spaces are taken by the half square triangles which are placed so that the peach triangles combine to form a larger peach triangle pointing outwards. I always love this setup – you get the illusion of a diamond surrounding the central area of the quilt block just by using some half square triangles.

Sew the squares together across each row and then sew the rows to each other to complete the trails quilt block pattern.